PRIMARY LOCATION:

The Place of Performance is at Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, 2002 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030

CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT: US Citizenship

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS:

High School Diploma or equivalent

MINIMUM REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

· Must have with at least three years of telephone switchboard operating experience, of which one year involved substantial responsibility for placing a variety of special calls (e.g., conference calls, long distance calls, and local calls) over varied circuits or routings

· Capable of placing various types of calls and performing operator services that require familiarity with large, multi-division organizational units.

· Must effectively deal with individuals from diverse backgrounds and work under pressure.

POSITION OVERVIEW

· Operators should assume the responsibility for placing a variety of special calls (e.g., conference calls, long distance calls, and local calls) over varied circuits or routings, or performing information operator work, which requires knowledge of the organizational units and major functions of a large multi-division organization

· shall have the ability to meet and deal with people from a variety of backgrounds, with varying levels of understanding, work under pressure and stressful conditions, and adapt to changing working conditions.

· Answer all incoming calls using the MEDVAMC Standard Greeting in a polite, efficient, and friendly manner, even during heavy workload or crises.

· Provide general information such as visiting hours and directions to the Medical Center.

· Operate emergency call and alarm systems, including Code Blue, fire, disaster, Code Green, Code Brown, and other urgent notifications.

· Use audio, radio, and digital paging systems, and maintain relevant records.

· Respond to patient and employee locator inquiries using computer terminals and published rosters.

· Operate the public address and radio paging systems as required, particularly during emergencies.

· Handle threatening or suicidal calls calmly and professionally, follow suicide prevention protocols, and notify proper authorities.

· Maintain up-to-date on-call personnel and essential staff schedules.

· Utilize two-way radios to communicate with Police and provide assistance during emergencies.

· Maintain workspace security and prevent unauthorized access.

· Adhere to ADP and Privacy Act guidelines for securing printed and electronic data.

· Assist with placing commercial and FTS (Federal Telecommunication System) calls.

· Report telephone equipment malfunctions and log service complaints.

· Document and record long-distance/toll calls and emergency responses.

· Use paging and overhead systems to support Medical Center operations.